


you're my sunflower

by Crazyloststar



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, First Kiss, Happy Birthday Gladio, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-04-03
Packaged: 2020-01-04 03:57:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18335708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crazyloststar/pseuds/Crazyloststar
Summary: It's Gladio's birthday, and he's used to not celebrating. But Prompto has other plans, apparently.





	you're my sunflower

**Author's Note:**

> here i am sliding in at the last hour of the day with my first promptio fic because i wanted some soft feels. happy birthday, gladio!

Gladio wasn’t really one for celebrating his own birthday. He got into the habit of basically ignoring it in high school, because between training and already taking up his job of Shield to Noct, he just never had time. His family always did something when he lived at home, but once he moved out after high school they had drifted apart. It was the natural way of things really.

It wasn't a big deal to Gladio, though. Sometimes he and the guys would go out for drinks at some point during his birthday week, and that was enough for him. He didn’t need anything fancy.

Which was how he found himself walking home alone after a long session at the gym and anticipating a quiet night with some shitty reality TV romance show and a cup noodles with steak for his twenty third birthday.

As the elevator dinged for his floor, he stepped out and wiped his face once more with his towel. He needed a shower, badly but it was a fucking good workout that he had needed. As he got closer to his door, he started to smell something, like a mix of sweet but also charred meat? It was very strange combination, and as he got closer he realized that it was coming from inside his apartment.

He paused at the door, rolling his eyes already. He could see exactly what was on the other side of that door - Ignis with his sleeves rolled up, maybe a small spot of flour on his face, finishing up a cake and while a steak rested on a cutting board. Homemade noodles ready so Gladio wouldn't just have _that horrid cheap stuff_.

He loved the guy, but fuck he was kind of looking forward to a night alone.

He took in a deep breath and unlocked the door. As he slipped off his shoes in the foyer, he could hear rustling in the kitchen, as predicted.

“I’m gonna revoke your key one day,” he shouted as he set down his gym bag. He pulled his shirt off over his head and tossed it into the hamper he kept by the door.

There was another clang from the kitchen. Gladio titled his head - usually Ignis would have stepped out by now, hands wringing in an apron, smiling and saying something sassy and annoying about the state of Gladio’s fridge/kitchen/sink/ insert any of those possibilities here, he had heard them all before.

So Gladio found himself a bit more curious and concerned at the lack of an Ignis greeting him. He stepped over towards the kitchen and looked around the corner. And froze.

It wasn’t Ignis in his kitchen.

It was Prompto.

_Prompto._

Awkward, bubbly, and okay ya sometimes he thought, adorable, Prompto. But Prompto always seemed to be circling Gladio, like they were two opposite ends of a battery or something. Whenever Gladio would even get close to him, he would tense up, or laugh awkwardly, and pull away. Gladio had thought at first he just didn’t like being touched, but then with Noct and Ignis he always seemed so much more open to being near them. Gladio had shaken it off years ago, really, but sometimes he still felt something in his chest that he couldn’t entirely explain away.

And now that same Prompto was here. In his kitchen.

“Hey, Blondie?” Gladio finally found his voice.

Prompto spun around with a shocked expression. He had headphones in, so he clearly hadn’t heard Gladio come in.

Gladio couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped him. Prompto looked absolutely ridiculous - he had flour coating moste of his front, the apron doing very little at this point to help him at all. His arms were dusted white and his face had chocolate smears. But in front of him sat a finished cake, packages of cup noodles, and a large steak resting on the cutting board.

Well, his guess had been close.

“I’m sorry! Iggy let me in I begged him to do it it’s not his fault I just-”

“Whoa, it’s okay. Just, what are you doing here?” He stepped into the doorway of the kitchen and leaned against the frame.

“I mean,” Prompto made a vague gesture at the items on the counter, “it’s your birthday.”

Gladio grunted. “You know I never do anything.”

Prompto looked down at his hands and rested them on the counter, tapping his fingers nervously. “Ya well, I thought this year, maybe we could change that, you know? We always do things for everyone else, why not celebrate you as well, big guy?”

“I’m hardly worth celebrating all that much.” He pushed himself off the door. “You didn’t have to come over and make food. We could have all gone out.”

“I wanted to!” Prompto said with a defiant hitch in his voice.

“Alright alright. Well I'm gonna shower first so I'm not smelling up the place. Just don’t burn the place down or anything.”

“R-right!” Prompto turned back to the counter and Gladio left him there, heading for his bathroom.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket because of course he had to message Ignis to see what he knew about this whole ordeal. He assumed everything.

_Gladio: What the hell is going on_

_Iggy: I assume you mean the guest in your house?_

_Gladio: Ya why is he alone? Why did you let another human cook_

_Iggy: It was his idea. I was surprised also, but he insisted on doing it and alone._

_Gladio: This is so weird_

_Iggy: How so?_

_Gladio: The kid hardly ever looks at me let alone is ever alone with me_

_Iggy: First of all he isn't a kid. He's 20 now._

_Gladio: Whatever_

_Iggy: Second of all, maybe this is his way of wanting to get to know you more. It's been years since you met and that you both keep dancing around each other is quite the feat at this point._

_Gladio: Not like I didn't try_

_Iggy: In giving you that look right now, you know the one._

_Gladio: Whatever. I'm gonna shower and eat a free meal if it’s not burned_

_Iggy: Have fun_

He was in the bathroom by this time and had pulled off his pants and turned on the shower. He let the steam rise up before stepping inside and quickly scrubbed down and washed his hair.

Prompto was over at his place. Cooking for him. Without the others. Was he trying to just finally crawl out of his weird shell that had developed over the years around him?

He couldn’t sit in there long thinking about this. He got out and dried off, running a towel over his hair before grabbing a pair of sweatpants and a tank from the cabinet and tossing them on. He gave his hair one more shake with the towel and looked himself over in the mirror.

He grabbed his cologne and stared at the bottle, then back at his reflection.

What the hell _was_ going on?

He sprayed himself once, then twice. He set the bottle down and kept staring.

This was just dinner with one of his buddies. Why was he feeling suddenly...nervous?

He growled under his breath and opened the door. The smell of food hit him, and his stomach grumbled.

“How’s it going?” He shouted as he crossed walked down the hallway, and then for the second time that night he felt his jaw drop to the floor.

“Happy Birthday!”

The small table he hardly used except as a collection for books and work shit had been cleared off, though to where who knew - that had been an organized mess and maybe later he would be worried. But in the place of everything were candles. And nice placemats that he didn’t think were his. And a bottle of red wine. Alongside what looked like bowls of Cup Noodles placed in his nice bowls, with cut meat resting on top.

Gladio was floored for many reasons. The set up. The food. The fact that his place wasn’t destroyed by Prompto, the bringer of all chaotic energy in their group.

“Uh, Gladio?” Prompto’s voice reminded him that ya, it was Prompto, who stood next to the table scratching at his arm as he watched Gladio.

“This is…” He was literally speechless. So instead he walked over. He gripped the back of a chair and looked over the table. “This is really fucking nice.”

When he looked up to Prompto, he was wide eyed and smiling, but there was a fear there Gladio could see, in the way his eyebrows furrowed and his hands wouldn’t stop moving.

“Ya? You like it?”

Gladio nodded and sat in the chair, directing his attention to the food. Prompto sat across from him, and the candles were a soft light in the apartment - Prompto had turned off all the lights around them.

He picked up his chopsticks and dug into the noodles and a nice nearly rare piece of meat, cooked to perfection.

“Amazing,” he said with a smile after chewing, and looked up at Prompto. He hadn't touched his food at all. He was just staring.

“You gonna eat?”

“Just wanted to make sure you liked it!”

“Noodles and steak, what’s not to like?”

“Ha, true.” Prompto took a tentative bite, and it seemed that seeing Gladio wasn’t just pulling his leg, he took another.

Gladio took up his glass of red wine. It was a label he recognized from Iggy’s house. He raised an eyebrow at the connection.

So...Iggy let Prompto in, helped him probably with the ingredients, maybe even a recipe, gave him a bottle of wine.

“So, Prompto…” He took another bite, thinking about his next words carefully. He picked up his wine glass with his free hand and motioned to Prompto, who shuffled around to get his own in hand.

“Thanks. Really appreciate the gesture.”

Finally, Prompto’s smile became the one he knew so well, but usually wasn’t directed at him. The one where his eyes creased just a little at the corners, and his lips curled up just a little more than usual, bringing up his cheekbones. When his eyes sparkled...

Gladio paused as their glasses touched in a toast while they were still looking at each other.

_Oh fuck_

“Happy Birthday, big guy.” Prompto sat back and took a sip.

Gladio tried to keep himself together as he also sat back, but things clicked into place. Lots of things. Lots of fucking crazy things.

He had it bad for Prompto. He had been jealous he’d never gotten close like the other two had.

_Fuckin hell._

He set down his glass and tried to focus on his food. “S’really good,” he said between bites.

“Iggy uh, he helped me buy everything.”

“I figured. No offense, ya know.”

“Ya! It’s okay, I’m pretty surprised, too, to be honest. I figured this would be a disaster, ha.”

He took another bite, and looked over the table again. “Look, Prompto. Is…”

Prompto didn’t look up.

He cleared his throat. “What kind of meat is this?”

It wasn’t what he was going to ask. But hell he found himself tongue tied. If Prompto were a rando from a bar, he would be able to whisk them off their feet without fail. But this was different. This was Prompto, someone he would see every day, someone he couldn’t just avoid if he gauged things wrong.

Maybe the kid - _not kid shit_ \- was just bad at this whole socializing thing. He was best friends with Noct. Would make sense.

“Garula, filet. Super fancy for noodles but Ignis said it would offset the cheap noodle taste.” He stuck his tongue out.

He was adorable. Fuck.

“Sounds like Iggy. Though it’s funny considering he’s not even here to enjoy it.”

“Ahah ya, he and Noct uh. Had a thing. But didn’t want you to be alone. So. I know I’m not much but. Here I am!” He took another drink of his wine, a bigger gulp this time.

“That’s cool of you.”

He smiled, cringing internally at himself, and they kept eating. It was quiet, but not awkward so much as weirdly tense. Gladio was scared he would fuck something up and that he was misreading whatever this was. Then Prompto was back to not making eye contact. Maybe it was just a pity dinner after all, though the guys all knew he didn’t need one.

He sat back after finishing his bowl and stretched his arms. “So good, man. Thanks, Prompto.”

Prompto was up immediately collecting his bowl. When he tried to stand to help, he was given a firm push back down at his shoulder. Gladio watched as Prompto scurried off to the kitchen, and after some plates being shuffled around, he walked back out with the small chocolate cake with a single large candle in the center lit.

The cake placed in front of Gladio, Prompto pulled out his phone. “So I can prove I didn’t give you food poisoning?”

Gladio laughed. “Well there’s still time. But sure.” He leaned down and gave finger guns on either side of the cake. Prompto snapped a pic, then giggled as he typed out something. Probably to their group chat. Or at least Ignis.

Then he had an idea.

“Hey, what about one with you?”

Prompto froze mid putting his phone back in his pocket. “Huh?”

“Come on, quick before the candle goes out. Selfie time!”

Something crossed over Prompto’s features before he jumped around behind Gladio’s chair. There was an obvious distance between them as he tried to angle the shot.

“Just. Here.” Gladio turned and wrapped an arm around his waist and brought him close as he moved over in the chair, so they were both sitting on it. Their bodies touched from shoulder to heel.

Prompto held up the camera, and his hand was shaking. But in the picture Gladio could see their faces looking up.

He pulled Prompto a little closer, so their cheeks touched. He lifted his hand up to help hold the camera.

Prompto smiled, softly, and Gladio returned it thanks to being able to see themselves in the camera shot. The picture taken, the phone was lowered. But Gladio didn’t let go. Prompto didn’t move, either.

He blew out the candle. When he turned his head, Prompto stared at him.

“Did you make a wish first?” His voice shook a little.

Gladio licked his lips and didn’t miss Prompto’s eyes following the movement. He had completely forgotten to wish for something. But now, he knew exactly what he would have wished for. He decided to just go for it, and not wait for gods or fate to do anything for him.

He leaned forward slowly. Their noses bumped together first and part of Gladio reasoned that was Prompto’s chance for an out. He could still pull back, push Gladio off, ask what the hell he was thinking.

But Prompto instead met his movement, closing the distance between them. His hands, hesitant, grabbed at Gladio’s arms still wrapped around him. He inhaled sharply, because Prompto was actually kissing him back. This wasn’t his imagination.

It was a soft, simple kiss. Not something Gladio usually did, because really usually Gladio only ever was with strangers or people he wasn’t intending to see for very long. And this was different, felt different, than anything before.

But when he pulled away and focused on Prompto’s eyes, there was still that sense of unease.

“Was that okay?”

Prompto actually snorted, then clapped a hand over his mouth.

Gladio chuckled and tipped his chin with his thumb and forefinger. Prompto moved with the pressure, lifting his face up to him. Gladio wanted to kiss him more. And more and more. All night, he already knew, he could do just that and be happy.

“I mean, ya. Ya, listen. I uh. This wasn’t just about two bros just having dinner.”

“Really? I am shocked. I have been blindsided. How dare--”

Prompto smacked his arm. It was Gladio’s turn to let out a snort with a laugh.

“Seriously, though. I’m glad.” He pressed their foreheads together. Prompto melted at the contact.

As Gladio wrapped his arms tighter around Prompto and pulled him into his lap, he decided not to worry about the details of things like, why they hadn’t done this before. Or why he hadn’t realized why Prompto had been avoiding him. Or the feeling in his chest when he wasn’t near him like the other.

He focused instead on the way Prompto felt in his arms, his lips on his, hands clinging to his shoulders as their kiss deepened.

He pulled back, and even though Prompto _actually whined_ , Gladio nuzzled into his neck and took in a deep breath.

“Thanks for the best birthday yet, Blondie.”

The kiss he got for that made it even better.

**Author's Note:**

> come find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/crazyloststar) and let's scream and cry about ffxv together


End file.
